Leicester stars hurt by Ranieri rumours
As speculation mounts over the exact circumstances that led to Claudio Ranieri's sacking by Leicester City, two of the club's biggest stars have denied their involvement.
As speculation continues that players led to the sacking of Leicester City's Premier League-winning coach Claudio Ranieri, some of the club's biggest stars have come out to deny any involvement.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and record scorer Jamie Vardy both put forward their cases in different ways, Schmeichel in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports and Vardy on his Instagram account.
Ranieri was shown the door on Friday (AEDT), just hours after the Foxes had lost 2-1 to Sevilla in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. While the club's Premier League form has been disappointing — it dropped into the bottom three after results this weekend — Vardy's away goal in Sevilla ensured progress to the quarter-finals of Europe's top club competition is by no means out of sight.
Club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha defended his decision to sack Ranieri and asked fans to respect it in the immediate aftermath, but the focus soon turned again to a group of players thought to be at the centre of a mutiny against the Italian coach, and ultimately leading to his downfall after a meeting with club owners.
Vardy was strong in his denials of any such meetings.
"There is speculation I was involved in his dismissal and this completely untrue, unfounded and is extremely hurtful," he wrote on Instagram.
"The only thing we are guilty of as a team is underachieving which we all acknowledge both in the dressing room and publicly and will do our best to rectify."
He added: "Claudio has and always will have my complete respect! What we achieved together and as a team was the impossible. He believed in me when many didn't and for that I owe him my eternal gratitude."
Schmeichel echoed similar thoughts in an uncomfortable interview on Sky Sports, also describing the reports as "hurtful" and "ridiculous", and putting the responsibility firmly back on the club's owners.
"I'm as upset about these reports as anybody," the Danish keeper said.
"They are deeply hurtful and, for me, to read these types of things I think it is absolutely ridiculous to think that any player in any squad across the country has that type of influence or power to make decisions like this. I think it is absolutely ridiculous.
"I don't know how many more times or how clearly I can say it any more. This is a serious accusation, something that is very hurtful. I as a player do not have any influence or any power to influence our owners."
Schmiechel also revealed what Ranieri had to say to the players when he came to the training ground on Saturday as the Foxes prepared for their league meeting with Liverpool on Monday (AEDT).
"Claudio came in and said his goodbyes, thanked the players for their efforts, thanked them for last season," Schmeichel said. "We achieved something amazing together so it is sad that it has come to this but, as always, a very classy man. Very humble, very gracious.
"What is a great shame is that we have not performed on the pitch. It is as simple as that. We as players have to look at ourselves because we haven't performed, it is as simple as that."